On the Orphan Black Set: We've Got All the Costume Details!

In preparation for this week’s new episode of @OrphanBlack, we chatted with Costume Department Set Supervisor Peter Webster to get an exclusive inside look at what sets the clones apart fashion-wise. Click through the gallery for the behind-the-scenes details about what goes into creating the three main different looks, and to find out why Peter says “the differences between Sarah, Alison, and Cosima are stylistically worlds apart.”

1.
WHAT PETER'S JOB ENTAILS

In his own words, Peter’s job is “to facilitate all the things that the designer wants to see in terms of the looks of costumes on set.” It is also his duty “to make sure that Tatiana is comfortable and happy in each costume for each of the characters.”

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2.
DETAILS ARE EVERYTHING

In last week’s episode, we saw Helena get married in a very strange cult wedding. According to Peter, “the cult itself has a very specific styling,” so every detail was planned out, right down to how many buttons were open on the cult women’s blouses during the ceremony. Facilitating little details like this are part of Peter’s everyday job.

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3.
SARAH MANNING

When describing Sarah’s “edgy street look,” as Peter calls it, he says that “she is on the down-low a lot because she’s hiding and she’s on the run – she’s trying to kind of slip by.” Because of this, we almost always see her in some type of hoodie, as well as a black, cropped leather jacket.

5.
COSIMA NIEHAUS

When it comes to Cosima’s style staples, her look revolves around accessories. She is always seen wearing glasses, and “nine times out of ten, she will always have a necklace, loads of rings, and bracelets,” says Peter. A fun fact about Cosima, according to Peter, is that “given the chance, she’d rather be barefoot.”

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6.
COSTUME CHALLENGES

In the season 2 premiere, Peter faced the challenge of convincingly passing Sarah off as clone Cosima by “thinking about what layers could be added or lost in the scene.” To achieve this look, he used a wool coat as an added layer, with the help of accessories such as glasses and a purse. Says Peter: “She was working a full Cosima look, because not in our lifetime are we ever going to see Sarah carrying a purse.”